Lesbian couple win £22,000 over sexual harassment at work

A lesbian couple who were harassed by colleagues over their sexuality have won £22,000 in compensation.

Beth Moules and Sharleen Amos, who both worked as saleswomen at Soundwell-based firm Aquatech Rainsoft, told an employment tribunal in Bristol they had been ridiculed and humiliated by comments from colleagues over their relationship.

Yesterday, they were awarded more than £22,000.

Moules won £7,142.30 for unfair dismissal, while Amos was awarded £5,000 for unfair dismissal in line with an out-of-court settlement.

Each woman also won £5,000 for hurt feelings for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

They alleged that one colleague, Peter Thoburn, had told staff they had performed a threesome with sales manager Stephen Rosenthal, adding he was “the meat sandwich between them”.

It was also claimed that Mr Thoburn had said to another colleague: “I don’t know how they can do it … it’s disgusting, I don’t agree with it.”

The tribunal heard that the couple’s boss, Stephen Baker-Joy, had told them to stop complaining because “lesbians had never and would never suffer in the way that Jews had”.

Days after they complained, Amos was fired and Moules resigned, claiming constructive dismissal. They have since split up.

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